Old age and Alzheimer’s is another good reason for clinics.
As security for a medical facility I had to keep fighting some poor old man abandoned by his family who could not deal with him when he went daft.
As red tape had it he couldn’t be easily submitted into a care home either so he was left in strange ward in the facility. He was terrified and those forced to watch him were not experienced with that disease.
And if really far gone, being looked after by family, there is still a bit of conscience there in the back ground crying while not being able to control swinging at their own loved ones. Extremely in-dignifying and most of the reason those clinics don’t exist much outside of Switzerland is result of religious dogma even the most seemingly skeptic are afraid to admit too.
I have visited one elderly care facility often because my father is there. You are right that the family of these elderly people often just leave their elders at these facilities without even visiting them. Although my father does not even know who I am when I visit I view that it is his right to live as long as possible. As I have asked he does not feel any pain, but he is in some other world in his thoughts, but still I visit him often.
Your caring for him is demonstration that continued existence is not in vain. If there is a part of him that’s still aware I’m sure he’s happy to still be there for your sake.
Just keep checking with the nurses as to his activity and make sure to visit him often.
Also mentally note this thread; it should overcome his passing quicker when it happens. I didn’t cry too hard for the passing of my father nor my mother. For some reason I’ve always had a strong acceptance of the nature and necessity of death - Like finally getting to go home and kick your feet up after a really long and hard day at work.
Or to quote Iron Maiden “Don’t cry for me; beyond is where I’ve earned.”
I’ve never been one to want to tell others how to live their life or anything but when I hear about someone suffering mental illness having chose assisted suicide somewhere I think of the times in my life when I thought it would never get better only to in fact eventually get so much better that I no longer experience symptoms on a regular basis.
But if someones in you know unbearable pain and has no prospects of a decent life ahead of them then I think who am I to demand they live that life?
I am not for or against. I consider it a personal choice. I wouldn’t do it or help someone but I do understand that certain circumstances can make that decision pretty complicated.
From the article:
Of the 611 assisted suicides identified during the four-year study period, just over 58% were women. The patients’ ages ranged from 23 to 97, researchers found, but the average age was 69. Close to half of the patients had a neurological disease. Others stated they had cancer, rheumatic disease or cardiovascular disease. Many had more than one condition.
I’m guessing that for the most part it’s not young people who haven’t lived their life or they have a disease like cancer where they know that it is coming and don’t want to suffer a slow death.
I too knew a man who had caused someone’s death and gone to prison. I think he was 19 when it happened and served 19 years. I hadn’t known about his past and would never have guessed until we were driving past the state prison one day and he told me that was where he lived for 19 years.
He was a kind person, was married and raising a young son. He also had just received his masters degree in mental health counseling. He supported himself in school by working as a mentor to people struggling with addiction.
My state does not have the death penalty though this is after 75? years being reconsidered and debated. I personally do not believe in taking a life for a life or lives.
There is a pedophile in our city who served time in prison for raping a boy and burying his murdered body below his house.
Unfortunately I’ve had a very rude crash course in brain science while trying to overcome SZ and depression so I know it’s not this man’s fault - He’s probably trapped deep inside his head crying to tears over the catastrophe.
The rest of the city? They think he’s a demon.
If the option where there I’m sure he would’ve taken it to put himself out of the horrific condition he’s been stuck in.
IDK to be honest.I lost a friend to suicide a few years ago and I guess I’m still grieving and it still hurts. I also know when things get so painful that I want it all to end.
I guess the main argument against it is for terminal patients is the story of David McCoy in Star trek 5 his father was stricken with an incurable painful disease in which he pleaded with his son to release him from. A cure was discovered soon after, subsequently causing Him many years of regret from causing his father’s apparently needless death. While hypothetical new meds come out everyday so it possible.
I know many people who have commited suicide. I had one childhood friend who had a serious alcohol habit. Once I told him that he would die if he did not stop. He said he did not care and continued his ways. After three months he was dead. His father tried to save him at the last moment, but it was too late. I think he would still live if he had changed his ways. His younger brother had died to drugs few years earlier. When I told him that he would die, he just also commented ‘come to his funeral and he will be buried where his brother was buried’.
I have mixed feelings about euthanasia. On the one hand, I would like it to be available to me. On the other hand, I feel that the elderly, and people with problems might be bullied into it. So their families would encourage them that it is the right thing to do, and then they would talk to the doctors, and tell them that it was their decision. I think there is a huge potential for abuse of power with legalized euthanasia.
I tried to take my life twice in my life. It is something that hangs over me and I ignore the pain and shame usually except on this site when I am mentioning it but I think CarolineC is right - there should be careful rulings on who should or should not receive euthanasia. However or whatever happens to me I accept as God’s will and will never jeopardize or fool with suicide ever again.
what about if you were paralysed from the neck down what if you were going to have to suffer enormous amounts of pain and then die anyway being in a nice environment with your family beside you having control over you life and your death sounds like a good idea to me. death is as a natural part of life as being born.
@mussel I agree with you. I really feel sad when I know someone physically sound and healthy kill itself. Suicide is one of the things which contradicts with my views on ‘Freedom of choice’.
@Topic: I think assisted suicide should be only a choice when doctors agree for a patient who cannot be recovered or is in constant pain and there is not a single thing in this world that medically could be done for the person. Otherwise support the patient emotionally and treat him\her with respect so that he\she could live with dignity.
